To Start Again
by Agarest
Summary: Six months after Ichigo has defeated Aizen and life is already back to normal! Ichigo and Rukia have been suspended from Soul Society, but on the way to summer school one day Byakuya appears in front of them, what could he want?Ichiruki Adv/Rom -On Hiatus
1. The beginning

Hello everyone! I'm back from the land of the dead! Also known as procrastination land! You're probably wondering what the hell I've been doing for all this time eh? Well the answer is nothing. Only recently I've been checking out Fanfiction, reading other people's stories and whatnot, so I decided to get back in the game! And after reading their fantastic stories, then looking at my horrible ones, I decided to completely overhaul my story! I've changed it a lot, and I hope you'll like it. Well anyway, enjoy the chapter, and review! Good or bad, it'll help develop the story and myself as a person! Anyway, I'll stop talking and let you get on with reading the story! Enjoy! :D

"EEERRAAGGHHH!" With a swing of his giant blade, Ichigo took down yet another hollow.

"Damn hollows! I need my sleep!" Ichigo shouted, stifling a yawn and rubbing his eyes with his free hand.

"Stop acting so weak Strawberry" teased his companion Rukia, wearing a big grin.

Ichigo grunted and gazed blankly at the full moon. It had been six months since Ichigo had defeated Aizen, and yet he was back to the same routine as if nothing had happened. It's not like he expected a party for his victory, or even a pat on the back, but he definitely didn't expect to be suspended from soul society! He let out a soft sigh, lost in his contemplation until his companion spoke.

"You ok?" Rukia asked, concern in her voice.

"Mmhm" Ichigo replied, smiling as he turned to face her. However, she was closer than he expected and he bumped into her. He begun to mumble an apology, but their eyes met and Ichigo became speechless. He tried to think of something to say, but his mind became blank. Rukia looked as though she was trying to do the same, but her lip just quivered and she remained still. The space between them started to get shorter and shorter slowly, and their hands met halfway, fingers intertwining. Both of them started to close their eyes, listening to one another's laboured breathes, anticipating the moment their lips would touch, when Rukia's phone rings, alerting them of another hollow attack. They both stop and sigh, holding their positions for a few seconds, but then withdrawing. Rukia checked her phone for the details of the hollow attack, whilst Ichigo let out an audible groan of frustration, looking up to the sky as if to curse whatever God there was. Rukia giggled at this, and put her phone back.

"Don't let it get to you too much strawberry, this one isn't that far away" she teased with a pleased grin.

"Better not be, I need my sleep y'know!" Ichigo pouted, expecting some sympathy, but Rukia just laughed and started towards their next target.

Ichigo was woken abruptly by his alarm the next morning. As if by instinct, he hit the snooze button and whispered "Five more minutes" to himself, but was woken again by his stuffed animal roommate, Kon.

"Get up lazy! Nee san is already awake! I said get up dammit!" Kon shouted, jumping on the teenagers face. Ichigo flailed and rolled out of bed, ripping Kon off of his face in the process.

"Bloody toy! Five more minutes would've been fine dammit!" Ichigo protested, turning off his alarm clock. Kon just laughed and skipped out of the room, full of content. Ichigo got up and looked at his calendar. He sighed as he saw the words "Summer School!" in red on that day's date. Ichigo's and Rukia's attendance and grades suffered considerably due to their constant absences and time off in Hueco Mundo, so to make up for it and not fail school, they had to attend summer school. Ichigo complained silently about how troublesome going to summer school was, but one thought raced into his mind. "At least I can spend the time with Rukia" Ichigo smiled at the thought, then started to blush and shook the thought from his mind. After getting showered, he proceeded downstairs, where the air was unusually silent. Ichigo looked around suspiciously, walking in a slower pace than usual. Just as he started to ease up and shrugged away his suspicions, Ichigo's dad flew from the ceiling shouting "Good morning Ichigo!" Ichigo replied by throwing his foot in the air and it connected with his dad's face, sending him flying backwards.

"Bakka!" Ichigo shouted "Where the hell did you come from? And why do you have cello tape all over you?" Isshin got up brushing himself off and taking any remaining cello tape off himself.

"I cello taped myself to the ceiling so I could catch you off guard, pretty smart eh?" Isshin grinned and winked at his son.

"No! It's idiotic! What if you damaged the ceiling or... How long have you even been up there?"

"Maybe a few hours, maybe the whole night, it doesn't matter, what does matter is that you passed!" Isshin smiled giving his son the thumbs up. Ichigo was about to argue again, but he sighed and buried his face in his hand. He knew from experience that explaining how pointless these "awareness and training exercises" were would get him nowhere, so he decided to ignore him and continue to the kitchen.

"Good morning Ichii!" Yuzu shouted, a warm smile on her face "Hurry up and eat your breakfast or you'll be late!" Ichigo sat down without protesting and began eating his breakfast. It wasn't until he finished that he noticed Rukia had sat opposite him.

"Finally finished?" Rukia taunted. Ichigo was about to reply with a sarcastic comment, but she had already got up and left the room.

"I'm leaving without you if you don't hurry up in the next ten seconds!" she shouted from the hallway. Ichigo hurriedly got up and left the room, bidding farewell to a silent Karin and Yuzu.

The weather reflected a typical summer day, a crystal clear sky, the sun hanging high in the air, emitting ungodly levels of heat. Rukia and Ichigo walked side by side, Rukia humming a cheery tune, whilst Ichigo was looking into the distance, lost in his thoughts. Half way there, Rukia ran out in front of Ichigo, smiling cheesily. Ichigo stopped, surprised of her sudden action.

"What's up?" He asked, wearing a puzzled look.

"What's summer school like?" Rukia asked in an innocent tone, cupping her hands behind her back leaning forward.

"You'll find out when we get there" Ichigo sighed, taking a step forward but then freezing in his step, eyes widening.

"Ichigo?" Rukia asked, a tone of worry in her voice. She started to walk to him, but Ichigo just pointed behind her.

"Rukia look" Ichigo whispered. Rukia started to laugh nervously as she turned, but she gasped and went white as she saw what Ichigo was pointing at.

A senkaimon could be seen in the distance, and in front of it a figure that neither of them had seen in six months, Byakuya Kuchiki.

Well there we go, I'll try and bring out a chapter every week, since I've got a lot of free time and little hobbies. I know I just said that last time, but I'll stick to my word this time! I promise!


	2. Conditional Invitation

OMG! I'm so sorry for uploading the wrong chapter! I am such a huge tool! anyways, I'll be updating this every Tuesday, so enjoy :)

The senkaimon's aura overshadowed a silhouette of a man, a man that Rukia and Ichigo hadn't seen in almost six months. Needless to say, the pair was frozen in place, speechless. The air was so tense that neither of them dared to move, except for Ichigo, who slowly started to reach into his back pocket where he kept his soul reaper badge. When his fingers brushed against the edge of his badge, a calm, authoritative voice called out to him.

"Do not be alarmed Kurosaki, I won't harm either of you" He knew that the words were meant to relax him, and they did slightly, but he still felt a bit on edge, so he slowly retracted his arm, but kept it close to his leg just in case he needed to use his badge quickly. He looked at the corner of his eye to see Rukia with a stoic face, similar to Byakuya's, but he could also see the swirl of emotion in her eyes, a mixture of joy, surprise, fear and despair. Rukia was always the lively one in company, but sometimes she was always deep in thought, and Ichigo even caught her sobbing to herself on a few occasions. She took the suspension from Soul Society the hardest, it was her home. Ichigo could never imagine the pain of being separated from his family and friends for a day, yet alone six months. He tried to think of something comforting to say as he would when he caught her sobbing. He'd usually just hold her close and listen to her tearful complaints. Knowing this wasn't the time or place for that right now, he sighed inwardly and started to place his hand on Rukia's shoulder. At his touch, Rukia pushed his arm away, surprising Ichigo, but he remained silent.

"Why?" She whispered, looking down so her hair overshadowed her face. Byakuya remained stoic. Her fists began to clench and she started to shake.

"Why?" She shouted at him, looking up to reveal her red face, tears flowing freely down her cheeks. Without warning, she threw herself at Ichigo, hugging him tightly and sobbing into his chest. Ichigo placed his hand onto her head and rubbed her forehead with his thumb in a circular motion to comfort her, before looking toward Byakuya and giving him a hostile look. He wanted to run at Byakuya, yell at him, tell him to go back where he came from, to leave them alone, but Ichigo knew better. He had to keep his emotions under control and approach the situation in a calm manner. Ichigo breathed deeply, and started to speak, but he was interrupted by Byakuya's authoritative voice.

"That is no way a Kuchiki should behave" he stated coldly, causing Rukia to pause and look up at Byakuya, her emotions stopping her from processing the meaning of his words. She looked up at Ichigo for reassurance, but his expression was mixed with surprise and anger, his "Calm approach" method totally abandoned.

"How can you still consider her a member of your family after all you've put her through? Put _us_ through?" Ichigo raged "You suspended us from Soul Society, and haven't even communicated with us for six months! You-"

"-I'm here to offer you a conditional invitation back to Soul Society" Byakuya interrupted. Ichigo furrowed his brow, as if he couldn't believe what Byakuya just said. Not out of joy, but confusion.

"Conditional invitation?" Ichigo questioned "What the hell are you on about?" Byakuya closed his eyes, and after a few seconds of silence, he opened them again, looking at the pair.

"You will be allowed back to Soul Society" Byakuya answered. Ichigo's eyes opened wide and his jaw dropped slightly, Rukia following suit.

"But" Byakuya added "Kurosaki is to become a captain in the gotei 13 squad" At that moment, Ichigo started laughed sarcastically. Rukia looked at him in confusion at his reaction, wondering why he wasn't as shocked or surprised as she was. Ichigo's expression then became serious, even a bit angry.

"This isn't a time for fucking jokes" Ichigo grunted.

"I'm being serious Kurosaki" Byakuya snapped. "A vote between the captains created the decision to make you the new captain of the 9th division. Plus it was the only logical choice, you are the only soul reaper that hasn't been made a captain that has achieved and perfected their bankai. Also-"

"No" Ichigo replied in a stern voice. Rukia turned to see that he was stood behind her, wearing a serious expression. Byakuya closed his eyes again, obviously irritated by Ichigo's rash decision. However, Ichigo continued.

"You block us out for six months, no communication, nothing, and now you come out of nowhere and expect me to make a decision that will affect me for the rest of my life?" Byakuya sighed, and turned to face the senkaimon.

"You do not understand Kurosaki, if you do not accept this offer; you will both be eternally banished from Soul Society" Byakuya's voice had a tint of desperation in it, as he looked over his shoulder at the both of them.

"Central 46 made that decision, even as the head captain, I cannot go against their decision. So please Kurosaki, become a captain, if not for yourself then for Rukia" Ichigo and Rukia both stood there with desperate expressions, trying to process the information that they were just given. Ichigo looked at Rukia, who looked up at him with wide and desperate eyes. Her eyes told him not to make a decision just for her sake, but at the back of them he could see her desperation and sadness. He turned to face Byakuya, who was still stood with his back turned to them, as if waiting for an answer.

"Alright, I'll become a captain" Ichigo conceded, closing his eyes. Rukia gripped his arm, more tears running down her face.

"Please Ichigo, think this through!" She pleaded "Don't make this decision just for me! Think about what you'll lose, not what I'll gain!" Ichigo just smiled, and wiped a tear away from her cheek.

"I'd do anyth-"

"Good" Byakuya interrupted, relief in his reply "Come back here in 48 hours. Then I will take you to Soul Society. Bear in mind that as a captain, opportunities to come to this world will be few and sparse, so bid farewell to your loved ones." Ichigo nodded in reply, and Byakuya walked through the senkaimon, and for a brief moment, wore a small and relieved smile.

Well there we go, haven't really got much to say about this chapter, but I look forward to where this story is going to lead. I feel a big plot coming on!


	3. Farewells

Chapter 3 of To Start Again, enjoy!

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The two found themselves staring at where the Senkaimon was, thinking back on Byakuya's words.

"_Come back here in 48 hours. Then I will take you to Soul Society. Bear in mind that as a captain, opportunities to come to this world will be few and sparse, so bid farewell to your loved ones_."

Ichigo ran it through his head a hundred times, as if trying to grasp the gravity of the situation. He'd have to say goodbye to all his friends, family, acquaintances. His heart started to throb when he thought of leaving them for good, never being able to see them again. But when he turned to face Rukia, it was as if a huge weight had been lifted, and all the doubts in his heart disappeared. _It's worth it _he thought to himself. Rukia was lost in thought, an air of ambivalence. Her expression showed confusion and hurt, and a little bit of hidden joy. Ichigo placed his hand on her arm, causing her to look at him, her expression clearing, and then changing to guilt as her eyes started to well up. Ichigo just smiled and nodded, and she threw herself into his arms, crying freely.

When Rukia finally regained her composure, Ichigo tried to talk to Rukia about what to do next, but even as they walked, she held onto him, making the walk awkward, but at the same time comfortable, so he decided to talk about it when they got home instead. When they entered the house, Isshin was standing in the hallway, looking at Ichigo solemnly, and at his nod, Ichigo nodded back and continued upstairs, Rukia still holding onto him. He laid her onto his bed, but she refused to let go, as if something bad would happen if she left, so without saying anything, he cuddled up next to her. The two stayed in that state for a couple of hours, only getting up for the bathroom or when Ichigo went down to get them things to eat and drink. He laced his fingers through her hair whilst she kept her face to his chest. Ichigo enjoyed the peace and tranquillity they were sharing, it was as if none of their problems existed, they were untouchable. He stayed in the half asleep-half awake state until Rukia finally broke the silence.

"Thank you" She whispered, nuzzling her head into his chest. Ichigo kissed her lightly on the head, taking in the sweet scent of her hair as he did.

"You know I'd do anything for you Rukia, and I know how much you miss Soul Society" Ichigo replied. Rukia remained silent, until she grabbed his hand that had been nestled in her hair for the past few hours. Ichigo's brow furrowed, confused at her reaction, until she looked up to face him and interlaced their fingers.

"Why would you go so far for me Ichigo?" Rukia asked in a mildly desperate tone, keeping her gaze locked into his eyes.

"You've been with me since the beginning. You gave me the power to protect the people I love; I invaded Soul Society and defeated captains in battle to save you when no one else would. You're the person that means the most to me, and I never want to let you go, I love you too much to see you sad or hurt, and seeing you happy and safe is the greatest thing in the world" Ichigo spoke, gazing back into her eyes, as if emptying his heart out to her.

"I-"Ichigo started, but Rukia silenced him with a kiss and embraced him. He closed his eyes and kissed her back, savouring the velvet touch of her lips on his. Ichigo soon felt the curious touch of her tongue on his lips, and he eagerly granted her entrance, meeting her tongue with his, feeling her smooth, wet texture with his tongue, and savouring her distinctive, sweet taste. As they both started to withdraw, their breathing was hot and heavy and they both looked at each other weakly, the kiss having taken a lot of energy out of them. After having regained their breath, they kissed again, more passionately than the first, and withdrew again, this time Rukia placing her head back on his chest, falling asleep in his warm embrace. Ichigo smiled contently and kissed her on the top of her head.

"I love you Rukia" he whispered, snuggling into her and falling asleep too.

Rukia awoke to a familiar, soothing feeling on her head. She felt it to find that it was Ichigo's fingers entwining with her hair again. She smiled and looked up to see Ichigo looking down at her, smiling warmly at her.

"Good morning" He said, placing a small kiss on her lips. She blushed and smiled, almost not believing that last night happened. But suddenly, as if forced back into reality, she remembered the conditional invitation. She looked at Ichigo with a worried expression, but he just smiled and nodded as if he knew what she was thinking.

"Don't worry" He assured "We'll say goodbye to everyone today" Rukia felt a renewed faith in his answer, making her smile and nod in reply. The two got up reluctantly and with difficulty; being stuck in the same position for nearly a day has its bad sides. The two got showered (separately of course!), dressed and then went downstairs to have breakfast. Surprisingly, no one was in, so they ate their meal and arranged to meet up with Chad, Inoue and Uryuu. As Ichigo closed the front door, he turned to see Rukia biting her bottom lip, as if something was troubling her.

"What's up Rukia?" Ichigo asked curiously.

"What should we tell them?" Rukia asked. Ichigo furrowed his brow as if the answer should be obvious.

"Well we tell them the truth of course. That we're leaving to go to Soul Society so I can become a captain and you can see everyone again" He said playfully. At his reply, Rukia looked irritated.

"No, not about that you idiot, about _us_" She retorted. It surprised Ichigo, he actually hadn't thought about it until now. He rolled his eyes as he thought about it, and then smiled.

"We tell them the truth of course!" Ichigo exclaimed, holding her hand, lacing her fingers with her and starting toward their arranged meeting place. Rukia babbled, unable to voice her argument properly and Ichigo just laughed.

"Don't worry" he assured "They'll get the idea when they see us holding hands, we won't even have to say anything!" Rukia started to protest, but when she noticed they were close to where they were going to meet the others, her nerves started to kick in. She thought about hundreds of ways that the situation would turn out, from them accepting their relationship happily, to them expressing clear disgust in their relationship, rejecting their friendship and crushing them. Before long, they were outside the shop they all agreed to meet by, and Ichigo's anxiety had started to show, his grip on her hand tightening, and a bead of sweat running down the side of his cheek. She wiped the sweat from his face, giving him a reassuring smile as she did so. He smiled back at her, and gave her a kiss, which she replied with a deeper kiss. As they started to get lost in the moment, someone cleared their throat, causing the two to withdraw quickly and blush intensely. Uryuu was the one who cleared his throat as he realigned his glasses as he did in awkward situations.

"So this is how you announce your relationship?" Uryuu murmured, accompanied by a grinning Chad who gave a grunt of approval, and a bubbly Inoue, a huge smile swept across her face. Ichigo and Rukia laughed nervously, making the other three laugh at their embarrassment. After they had gotten over the initial embarrassment, Rukia and Ichigo soon joined in on the laughter, reuniting their hands as they walked through town. The five had dinner in a restaurant that served buffet consisting of a wide variety of food that they all liked, so there were no disputes over what to eat. Ichigo informed them of the conditional invitation that Byakuya offered them, also explaining that by taking the offer that it would be unlikely he would be back for a while, if at all. That brought a sombre silence among the group, as if the realisation that this would be their last meal just hit them.

"I'm glad that you chose to go Ichigo" Inoue confessed, breaking the silence. Ichigo looked at her confused. He thought that, out of his friends, she would be the one that would miss him and regret his decision the most, but there she was, smiling proudly at Ichigo.

"If you had decided not to go and made Rukia sad, then I'd never forgive you!" She said jokingly, laughing. Slowly, they all started to join in on the laughter, deciding that their last memories should be happy, not sad. When they finished their meal, they paid and left to shop around town. Ichigo, Rukia and Chad decided not to get anything, but Inoue bought a new set of earrings and Uryuu bought a new sowing set. As the sun started to set, spreading orange and red along the horizon, the group took it in, savouring the beauty of the sunset, making a perfect end to a perfect memory. The final goodbyes were awkward, Inoue shed a tear, and even Chad spoke less due to a lump in his throat. Uryuu realigned his glasses and smiled toward the pair.

"Good luck you two, I know that as a Quincy I'm duty bound to hate Soul Reapers, but I'll make an acceptation for you two" Ichigo smiled at Uryuu's words, nodding in acknowledgement of his words, tightening his grip on Rukia's hand. For a slight second, he swore that he saw Inoue look at their hands and frown, holding back tears, but the motion was so slight that when he blinked she was smiling again. The group said their final farewells, and split up.

They walked home in silence, deep in thought, reminiscing of the good times and bad times with their friends, the lessons they've learnt, and the hardships they've endured. When they got home, the atmosphere was thick, as if someone was mourning a loss or over bad news. Ichigo nodded at Rukia, who tightened her grip on his hand, following him into the kitchen. At the table was Ichigo's sisters and father. His sisters looked as though they had been crying, their eyes red, and Isshin had a stern look on his face. Before Ichigo could assess the situation, Isshin stood up.

"I know Ichigo" He stated, staring at the pair. Ichigo was lost for words. He knew what his father was on about, but he just couldn't bring up any words.

"Urahara told me" Isshin continued, his expression set in stone. Ichigo didn't know whether he was being told off for this or if his father was just stating facts, he'd never seen him like this. Ichigo looked down, expecting punishment, but he was tackled by his sisters who hugged him closely.

"We'll miss you Ichigo" Karin admitted

"Look after yourself Ichigo" Yuzu demanded, squeezing him tighter.

"I will" Ichigo answered, hugging them back. Rukia smiled at the heart warming sight and began to leave the kitchen, feeling out of place in the family moment.

"Where do you think you're going?" Yuzu asked, making Rukia stop and turn.

"You're as much a part of the family as Ichigo, we'll miss you too!" Yuzu shouted and ran to hug Rukia. Ichigo smiled as Rukia hugged her back, enjoying the loving embrace.

"And besides" Karin added "We're looking forward to seeing the nieces and nephews you'll bring back with you from Europe!" Ichigo furrowed his brow and looked at his father who just nodded. He must have told them that they were leaving to Europe for studies, so much for leaving Kon in charge of his body. He turned back to smile at Rukia, when he noticed her drained expression, muttering "Ch-Children?" under her breath. It took Ichigo a second to realise what she was so shocked about.

"Nephews and Nieces?" He shouted "What are you two on about?" The girls giggled.

"You don't think we're blind, do you Ichigo?" Karin asked, raising her eyebrow.

"We've seen the way you act around Rukia! Always being awkward around one another! We're not kids anymore y'know, we do notice things!" Yuzu pointed out, leaving Ichigo stumped. He was lost for words for a few moments, then laughed, the rest of the family joining in.

Ichigo and Rukia went upstairs the same time his sisters went to bed, getting changed and then climbing into bed, exhausted. Who knew emotional goodbyes where so tiring? He sighed and looked at the ceiling, thinking about the next day, and what would lay in store for him. As he was in the midst of his thoughts, Kon landed on his face out of nowhere, startling him.

"What the hell Kon!" Ichigo shouted in a hushed tone "You could've given me a heart attack!"

"Is that how you say goodbye to a dear old friend?" Kon said dramatically, holding a paw to his face and swooning.

"Anyway, when can I jump into your body? I fancy chick hunting tomorrow!" Kon jumped around excitedly. Ichigo picked him up and turned to face him, with an expression that bared bad news.

"Sorry Kon" Ichigo apologised "But you're not looking after my body this time, I'm giving you back to Urahara" Kon stayed silent at his words, realising how serious Ichigo was being.

"So this really is goodbye then?" mumbled Kon, looking down.

"I'm afraid so" Answered Ichigo. The two shared the silence, Ichigo finding it hard to think of something to say.

"Are you saying goodbye to Kon?" Rukia asked, interrupting the silence. She was stood in the door way wearing her vest top and hot pants (her pyjamas). Ichigo blushed at her sight, looking away, rubbing the back of his head. Rukia was confused at his reaction, but then she clicked.

"Pervert!" she shouted, running to hit Ichigo. Ichigo protested and tried to protect himself against her, using Kon as a shield. Kon's muffled cries finally reached Rukia and she stopped, caught her breath and sat next to Ichigo, grinning sheepishly.

"Sorry about that Kon" Rukia apologised, automatically holding Ichigo's hand. Kon looked at their hands, then at them, and jumped to attack Ichigo.

"Damn it I knew it Ichigo! I knew you'd steal her from me!" He shouted, trying to scratch Ichigo with his velvet claws. Ichigo laughed playfully, but then picked Kon up, looking at him with a smile as Kon flailed about.

"Thank you Kon" Ichigo smiled, causing Kon to stop, nodding in reply. He placed down Kon and he walked to Rukia, hugging her. Rukia hugged him back smiling happily.

"Thanks for being my friends guys" Kon murmured, and at that, Ichigo tapped the back of his head, causing the pill to fall out of the now-lifeless toy's mouth. He placed them both on the desk, and smiled and kissed Rukia as she snuggled into him, making herself comfortable and eventually falling asleep.

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Is it just me, or was that a really long chapter? Damn I'm so tired now... Hope you liked the chapter!


	4. Departure

Sorry for the late update, FF is having troubles with some glitch or something, so some people can't upload new chapters to their fanfics. I've posted the method of how to get around this on my profile, so look at that if you need to know how to update. Anyways, enjoy the chapter.

The buzzing of the alarm pierced the silence, dragging Ichigo out of his dream as his arm hit the alarm instinctively to turn it off.

He lay still for a while, contemplating the day ahead of him. A sense of realisation washed over him as he realised that this would be the last time he would turn off his alarm, the last time he'd wake up in his own bed. He sighed inwardly and looked down at Rukia, who was cuddled into his chest still asleep.

"_But hopefully not the last time I wake up next to Rukia"_ He thought, but then blushed as he realised how perverted it sounded. Rukia's breathing was steady, and her expression was peaceful. Ichigo smiled, taking in the view for a few minutes, savouring her scent and warmth before attempting to wake her up.

"Rukia" He whispered as he stroked the hair from her face "Time to wake up Rukia" She stirred slightly, but remained asleep. Ichigo continued this until his patience ran out, so he decided to poke her instead.

"Hey, get up I said!" He demanded irritably as he poked her. Her eyes slowly opened as she looked at Ichigo, who seemed to be frozen in fear and blushing furiously. She furrowed her brow and looked down to where Ichigo had poked her. His right index finger was implanted firmly in her right breast. She looked up at him, her expression angry as she shouted at him.

"Ichigo you pervert!" She shouted angrily, throwing him off the bed and covering her breasts. Ichigo broke his fall, rolled on the floor and stood up.

"I-It's not what you think Rukia!" He insisted, blushing furiously whilst waving his arms in front of him.

"Oh really?" Rukia questioned slyly, getting off of the bed "A teenage boy that's in bed with his defenceless, beautiful young girlfriend and doesn't try anything sexual? Are you calling me stupid? Or maybe you don't like me anymore?"

"Of course I love you, idiot. I just respect you enough to have your permission before doing anything like that." Ichigo mumbled, blushing and looking away. Rukia blushed wildly, unable to think of a comeback. The awkward air between the two finally disappeared when Ichigo changed the subject.

"Anyway, you shower first, I'll have one after you" He stated, sitting on the chair next to his desk. He sat in silence and looked at his desk, expression thoughtful. Rukia started to ask Ichigo what was wrong, but stopped when she suddenly remembered that today was the day they go to Soul Society. She sighed inwardly, wearing a concerned expression at Ichigo. She still felt guilty that Ichigo was leaving his friends and family behind so that she could return to Soul Society, but she knew that trying to convince him to stay would be useless, so she thanked him silently and left for the bathroom.

After Rukia had finished her shower, she went to Ichigo's room to let him know that the shower was free. She knocked on the door, opened it and popped her head in.

"The shower's free now Ichigo" She called, looking around the room to find the orange haired teenager. He was still sat at his desk, staring at it; it was like he hadn't moved a muscle. She began to ask what was wrong, but decided against it and walked back to her room. After Ichigo had finished showering, the two silently went downstairs for their last meal in the Kurosaki household. Thinking about it that way made Rukia shiver, but she didn't say anything as she didn't want to break the tense silence that filled the kitchen. Ichigo ate his breakfast slowly, his thoughtful expression now unsettling Rukia. She laid a hand on his left and he intertwined their fingers, smiling warmly. Just as he opened his mouth to talk, a knocking on the door interrupted him. They both looked at each other, wondering who it could be, but at the second knock Ichigo went to answer the door, followed by Rukia.

"Good morning Ichigo! Rukia!" Urahara greeted cheerfully, waving at the pair.

"Urahara?" Ichigo questioned, surprised. Ichigo looked behind him to see two big, black boxes; large enough to fit a tall person in. Ichigo looked at Urahara questioningly, but he just smiled back.

"What are the big boxes for?" Rukia asked, walking over to them to get a closer look.

"Why, they're for your gigai and Ichigo's body of course!" He answered grinning at her "Tessai helped me get them here by the way" He looked toward the boxes and Tessai popped his head around the side of them, nodding in greeting. Ichigo and Rukia chuckled awkwardly and waved back as Tessai went back to his hiding place behind the boxes. Urahara then looked forward at the pair with a serious expression on his face.

"If you don't mind, I'll be needing your gigais now." He stated, giving them a serious look to show that he wasn't messing around. The pair complied and entered their soul reaper state, watching their bodies drop to the floor. At that moment, Tessai came from behind the boxes, opened them up, picked up the bodies and put them each in an individual box. Ichigo felt uneasy as he watched his body being placed in the box; it looked as though his body was in a coffin. As Tessai closed the boxes, Ichigo couldn't help but feel that seeing the boxes close meant that it was too far to turn back, and he started to feel doubtful. But when he looked at Rukia, all feeling of doubt was replaced with certainty; he was doing this for her. Urahara took off his hat and smiled at the pair.

"Thank you, I promise I'll look after these in case you ever decide to come back" he reassured "Goodbye you two, and good luck" The two nodded at him as he put his hat back on, turning around to follow Tessai as he carried the boxes away. Urahara looked at Ichigo over his shoulder with a strange look in his eyes, as if he meant the last words more seriously than he had said them, as if he knew something Ichigo didn't. Ichigo started to say something, but Urahara closed the door behind him. He looked at Rukia who looked back at him with eyes that told him he didn't have to do this, that it wasn't too late. But he just smiled and placed his hand on her head, bringing her into his chest. The two embraced for a minute, then separated and nodded at each other. Ichigo reached for the door handle, but was stopped by a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see his dad, smiling proudly at him.

"Ichigo..." he started "Being a captain requires a strong determination and brilliant leadership. As long as you keep your faith in your men, you should be fine." Ichigo smiled and nodded. Then, Isshin turned to face Rukia.

"Rukia, thank you for looking after Ichigo, I'll trust you to keep him in line and look after him in Soul Society." She smiled and nodded, giving him a hug. As they separated, Ichigo opened the door and stepped out, Rukia following him.

"Ichigo" Isshin grinned, offering out his hand. Ichigo took his father's hand and shook it smiling back at his dad. Isshin's tried to say something, but his eyes said a thousand things he couldn't voice, and Ichigo nodded in acknowledgement, easing Isshin. As the two finished shaking hands, Isshin began to scratch his head, grinning widely.

"I guess I should say some fatherly advice that'll help you with life as a captain..." He pondered, and then smiled widely as if he had thought of something.

"Ah yes!" He exclaimed "Make sure you're financially secure enough before you start a family!" Ichigo sighed and Rukia took a step back, surprised at his sudden words.

"Oh! And give them good names!" He continued. Ignoring his dad, Ichigo turned, grabbed Rukia's hand and walked away. As the two rounded the corner, Isshin smiled and his eyes welled up.

"_I'm so proud of you Ichigo, if only your mother could see you now..." _he thought, and then ran inside so he could cry at her picture and tell her how proud he was of Ichigo.

"Sorry about that, you know what he's like" Ichigo apologised. Rukia laughed and tightened her grip on his hand.

"I know, but you have to admit, it was pretty good advice" she smiled slyly, causing Ichigo to sputter incomprehensively. Rukia laughed, amused at his reaction and walked closer to him, leaning her head on his arm. When they reached the meeting place, they still had time until Byakuya would arrive, so the pair sat on a nearby bench and cuddled. Rukia had her head on his shoulder and Ichigo laid his head on hers. His arm was wrapped around her, and Rukia fidgeted with their hands. The two stayed in comfortable silence for a while, until Ichigo broke the silence.

"So... What do we tell Byakuya?" Ichigo asked, closing his eyes and rubbing her head with his cheek.

"About us? I don't know. To be honest, I don't think he'd react very well..." Rukia answered, deep in thought. Ichigo imagined a furious Byakuya unsheathe his sword after hearing news of them dating, seriously hurting Ichigo and locking Rukia away from everyone. He gulped nervously and shook the thought away.

"Do you think we should keep us secret? Until I've settled down as captain?" Ichigo offered, playing with her hair.

"I think that'd be best" she agreed, looking up at him. The pair smiled and kissed, sealing their deal. When they both withdrew, a bright light came from their right and they jumped up from the bench, looking toward the light to see the Senkaimon. The pair relaxed as the doors opened and Byakuya stepped out, the edges of his mouth pointing upward briefly, as if relieved that they agreed to show up.

"You made the right decision Kurosaki" Byakuya stated, turning around "follow me" He entered the Senkaimon and Rukia followed him in. Before going in, Ichigo turned to look at the town around him, watching people starting to walk the streets and shops beginning to open. He closed his eyes, said a last, silent farewell and walked through the Senkaimon.

It might seem like a short chapter, but I felt like I ended it right, and I didn't want to inject a load of filler into it just to make it reach 2000 words. Next few chapters should be interesting; I'm looking forward to them myself tbh.

P.S Lately I've been off of bleach, and been more affiliated with my Naruto fanfic. Sorry if my writing style has changed, but if it has it's because I've lost a little enthusiasm for it.


	5. Arrival

**Hey guys, sorry for the wrong upload, i should really label better -_-. Also, this might be a short chapter, but I promise the next one will be longer, oh, and there'll be a lemon soon; just warning you pre-emptively, even though I'll put a warning paragraph at the beginning. Anyway, enjoy chapter 5 of To Start Again!**

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Ichigo closed his eyes as he walked through the Senkaimon, blinded by its godly light. When he sensed the light dim down in front of him, he opened his eyes and looked up to the sky, to find it flooded with pink. Ichigo gawped at the unusual scenery, and after blinking a few times, he sight became sharper and he found that the sky was full of cherry blossom leaves. Ichigo found the sight beautiful; it soothed him and made him briefly forget about what he left behind. He was broken out of his stupor when Rukia elbowed his side, and Ichigo looked down to find her smiling up at him.

"I see that you like brother's cherry blossom garden" she grinned, giggling at his fascination towards the garden. Ichigo looked around to observe the scenery, jaw slack and the mere beauty of it. He had only seen such scenery in paintings; he never knew that such a sight existed in real life. Stone slabs carved a path through the luscious green grass, leading toward a miniature bridge that leapt over a small river that seemed to flow from one side of the garden to the next. Cherry blossom trees were scattered along the garden, their loose petals dancing around the garden gracefully. The blissfulness of the scenery almost made Ichigo want to stay there all day.

"I-It's beautiful" Ichigo managed to mutter, still trying to take in the complex beauty of the scenery. Byakuya merely grunted in reply and closed his eyes, the smooth breeze lifting the hair that ran through his kenseikan gently. Rukia smiled warmly to herself, looking down at the ground.

"_Tranquil moments like these are rare, maybe Ichigo should get his own Cherry blossom field!"_ She thought as she tried to stifle a giggle. Byakuya opened his eyes and looked at Rukia briefly before turning around.

"Follow me" He stated as he started along the stone path. Rukia looked at Ichigo who was still smiling at the scenery, oblivious of Byakuya's command. She sighed and punched Ichigo in the rib, breaking him out of his blissful paradise. He grunted and held his ribs, giving Rukia a questioning look. She smiled, shook her head and started to follow Byakuya. Ichigo moaned audibly, showing his regret at having to leave the garden, but he turned around briefly to look where the Senkaimon used to be, and followed Rukia.

Ichigo and Rukia shadowed Byakuya as they walked out of the garden and through the Kuchiki estate. The estate was very traditional Japanese, servants running through the estate and doing their chores, only pausing to bow as Byakuya walked past them. Ichigo thought deeply about how the servants acted towards Byakuya. He knew that he was of a noble family, and he knew that he'd have servants, but he didn't expect people to treat him like a king! Ichigo pondered as he finally clicked.

"_It's because he's the head captain!_" Ichigo thought in a triumphant tone, as if just having solved a difficult puzzle. He looked at Byakuya's back to see the first division captain's symbol on his back, and instantly had a flash back of the previous first captain's sacrifice. In an attempt to stop Aizen, he sacrificed himself using hadou 96 – ittokaso, but it only succeeded in creating an opening for Ichigo. He looked down with a humble expression, silently thanking Yamamoto for his sacrifice. Rukia brushed alongside the unusually quiet Ichigo to check up on him, smiling at him when he looked at her. He smiled at her, letting her know he was ok, and she resumed her position in front of him, walking closer to Byakuya. Ichigo smiled and thought how much it must have meant for Rukia to finally see her brother again as he watched her stare at him in admiration. It took them several minutes to finally walk through the large Kuchiki estate and into some streets that were flooded with soul reapers. Ichigo gulped nervously and lowered his head when he could feel people staring at him and hear several people whispering. The further they went down the street, the more the whispers and staring. Soon, people began whispering rather audibly to Ichigo's suspense. They whispered things such as "Who's that with the head captain?" and "Rukia's back! Y'know, the head captain's sister!"Ichigo looked up to check on Rukia, and could see that she was doing exactly the same as him; lowering her head and gulping nervously. Byakuya was still walking silently ahead, until halfway down the street, when he suddenly stopped. Rukia almost walked into him, but looked up at the last second and stopped immediately. Ichigo however, failed to see Rukia and bumped into hear, earning him a kick and verbal abuse. Rukia soon stopped when Byakuya turned around, facing the pair and the majority of the street, causing them to go silent and stare in curiosity. He looked at Rukia and then Ichigo, causing them to settle down and look away in embarrassment, and then looked slowly up to the street. Everyone froze as they noticed the icy glare Byakuya was giving them, gulped in sync and hurriedly walked to finish their business. Byakuya then closed his eyes, turned, and walked on, eventually followed by a stunned Rukia and Ichigo.

Rukia looked at her brother in admiration, captivated by the authority that he had just displayed, whereas Ichigo looked at Byakuya wearily, making a mental note to never to get on his bad side. From that point on, the streets were only occupied by them and the odd soul reaper that was preoccupied by their errands. After a few moments of silence, Ichigo was starting to miss the noise of the gossip of the soul reapers, but was broken from his trail of thought when Byakuya and Rukia stopped in front of a big building with huge wooden doors for the entrance. Ichigo stopped to observe the building; it was clearly the biggest and most ornate building he had seen since they left the Kuchiki estate. He almost started gawping when he was interrupted by Byakuya.

"The other captains are waiting inside, this will be your first captain's meeting, so be quiet and observe" Byakuya instructed, earning a nervous nod from Ichigo. He turned and knocked on the door, making it swing open as if it was made of feathers. Instead of gawping and contemplating (which seemed to be Ichigo's new thing) he gulped and followed Byakuya and Rukia inside. They stepped into a hallway that seemed to have a traditional Japanese style with some western influences. Marble posts aligned on the edges of a red carpet that stretched to the opposite end of the room and ended at another door. Several paintings of soul reapers were on the wall; presumably ex-captains due to them all wearing a captain's haori. Rukia looked up at Ichigo, expecting his jaw to be dragging along the floor by now, but his expression was steeled, a bead of sweat running down the side of his face. She smiled at his nervousness; it reminded her of his innocence and inexperience. She brushed her hand against his, causing him to look down. She gave him a comforting smile, mouthed "_You'll be fine_", and watched as his tense shoulders eased up a little and he gave her a small smile and nod. Byakuya stopped outside the door and turned around, looking at Ichigo, causing Rukia to sigh mentally as he tensed up all over again.

"Wait here until I tell you to come in." Byakuya stated, and then looked at his sister "You won't be able to come in. You can either wait outside or return to the estate." Without waiting for a reply from Rukia, he turned, opened the door and walked inside. As soon as the door closed, Rukia hugged Ichigo tightly, rubbing her head into his chest. Ichigo smiled at the surprise hug and soon returned the embrace. She looked up at him, smiling warmly, easing Ichigo. Whenever he looked into her eyes, all of his troubles were lifted, and only the moment mattered to him. He brushed a few strands of hair from her face and swept in for a kiss. The kiss was gratefully returned, and Rukia wrapped her arms around his neck, taking the kiss deeper. When she felt Ichigo's tongue brush against her lips, asking for permission to enter, she withdrew from the kiss, smiled and shook her head. Ichigo's expression became obviously disappointed, and as he was about to ask why she withdrew, an authoritative voice called out to him

"You may enter now, Kurosaki Ichigo" Byakuya called. Rukia pressed their foreheads together and gave him a soft kiss on the lips.

"You'll be fine" She whispered before letting go of Ichigo and walking toward the exit. Ichigo smiled as he watched her walk away and nodded as he set himself in the right frame of mind.

"_Let's do this!_" he rooted mentally and pushed open the door.

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**Well that's that chapter. Sorry for breaking it off short, but I thought that this would make a good cliff-hanger ending (Mwahahaha!) **


	6. Explanation

Sorry for the re upload, had to fix the bit when Byakuya announces the captains

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As soon as Ichigo pushed the door open, he felt as though every person in the room was staring at him, draining away any confidence he had.

"_Crap_" Thought Ichigo, sweat running down the side of his face. He opened his mouth, about to say something, but was saved by Byakuya's interruption.

"Take your place to your left so that the meeting may commence Kurosaki" Byakuya commanded, pointing at a spot next to him. Ichigo immediately jumped to the spot, swallowing a lump in his throat and looking down at the floor. He couldn't think of a reason for his nerves, he had talked to and fought next to all of the captains; did six months really do this to him? He started to lift his head a bit so that he could look at his surroundings, but was distracted by Byakuya's authoritative voice.

"Now, the meeting shall commence" Byakuya announced, his voice echoing through the hall, even though he spoke in a more quiet than normal tone. "As agreed, the new captain of the ninth division is Kurosaki Ichigo." At the mention of his name, Ichigo immediately felt everyone's eyes glance at him.

"Since there are new captains since Kurosaki was last present, I will announce the captains as they stand now: I, Kuchiki Byakuya, am the first division captain, Soi Fon is captain of the second division, Ichimaru Gin is the captain of the third division, Unohana Retsu is the captain of the fourth division, Shinji Hirako is the captain of the fifth division, Abarai Renji is the captain of the sixth division, Komamura Sajin is the captain of the seventh division, Shunsui Kyoraku is the captain of the eighth division, Ichigo Kurosaki is the new captain of the ninth division, Toshiro Hitsugaya is the captain of the tenth division, Kenpachi Zaraki is the captain of the eleventh division, Mayuri Kurotsuchi is the captain of the twelfth division and Jushiro Ukitake is captain of the thirteenth division" Ichigo looked around at the other captains, trading smiles with old friends. He stifled a laugh as he saw Renji in a captain's haori, trying to act serious. Renji gritted his teeth as he saw Ichigo trying not to laugh at him, almost shouting at him, but was interrupted by Byakuya.

"Everyone please make sure that you help Kurosaki settle in, the quicker he gets used to being a captain the easier it will be for him. Now, if there is no other business that anyone wishes to address, you are dismissed." Byakuya concluded. The captains nodded and filtered out of the room, greeting Ichigo and wishing him luck as they left. Once the captains had left the room, only Byakuya and Ichigo were left, creating an air of tense silence.

"Follow me Kurosaki" Byakuya commanded, breaking the silence between them. He turned and walked to a door in the corner of the room, entering without waiting for Ichigo. Ichigo immediately followed as Byakuya left his vision and entered the room. The room itself was quite plain compared to the ornate hall, with only a table in the middle surrounded by two chairs; one occupied by Byakuya. Byakuya signalled for Ichigo to sit down on the chair opposite whilst a servant poured tea. When asked if he wanted tea by the servant, Ichigo nodded gratefully and smiled, which seemed to cheer her up greatly (Not that he blamed her, she must never get enough gratitude for her job if she served Byakuya all the time). The servant bowed and hurriedly left the room, leaving the two captains in silence as Ichigo awkwardly sipped at his tea.

"So..." Ichigo mumbled, attempting to break the silence. Byakuya set down his tea and opened his eyes, setting his hands on the table.

"Thank you, Kurosaki" Byakuya stated, surprising the orange haired teen.

"F-For what?" Ichigo stuttered with a confused expression.

"For making the right choice and becoming a captain, there were few other potential candidates to fill the position" He replied, taking another sip of his tea. Ichigo furrowed his brow, it was rare for Byakuya to thank him, so he wouldn't thank him for something like that... Unless...

"Didn't you mean to thank me for bringing back Ruk-"Ichigo was cut short when he received a cold glare from Byakuya. He could feel the killing intent from the glare, so he decided to never ever finish the sentence, and try to change the subject.

"Umm..." Ichigo started, scratching his head. Byakuya looked up at him, ready to reply to any question that Ichigo might ask. Ichigo looked at the ground, hiding his face from view. "Why six months?"

"Our head captain was defeated in battle, and we sustained many injuries that required a lot of medical attention. Aizen's attack left the thirteen guard squads in disarray, so finding new captains proved to be essential in reassembling our forces. Things like these take time Kurosaki." Byakuya replied, as though he was treating Ichigo like a naive child.

"That means nothing! Why ban us from Soul Society? We could've helped you rebuild, you know we wouldn't have been in the way!" Ichigo shouted as he hit the table with his fist, his voice becoming rougher as tears of anger welled up in his eyes. "I-"

"You defeated Aizen" Byakuya interrupted, making Ichigo back down. Byakuya continued, narrowing his eyes "You did what the whole thirteen guard squads could not, your power was either to be feared or praised. Central 46 feared that once you defeated Aizen, no one would be able to stop you if you decided to use your strength against Soul Society. They decided that you should be suspended from Soul Society until we rebuilt our strength. They almost decided on never letting you come back, but I managed to persuade them to offer you a conditional invitation. However, they almost refused that too, on the basis that you wouldn't accept the offer, so I had to make sure that you would definitely give the correct answer..." Byakuya paused to take a sip of tea, watching Ichigo try to process the information, his jaw slack. He gave Ichigo a few moments before placing his cup back down.

"So let me get this straight" Ichigo began, crossing his arms "Central 46 feared my power, so they banished me from Soul Society? That I understand, but why Rukia too?" Ichigo asked, furrowing his brow. Byakuya sighed, looking up at the ceiling before replying.

"That was how I knew you would give the answer we needed. You might not have come back to Soul Society if we were just going to banish you, but I knew you'd accept if it meant Rukia could never return either." Byakuya was cut short as Ichigo grabbed his scarf, pulling him up.

"You what?" Ichigo shouted at him, face red with anger "How could you do that to your own sister? What if I had said no? What then huh?" A moment of silence passed before Byakuya placed his hand on Ichigo's, looking down on him with a hint of sadness in his eyes. Ichigo dropped his guard as his grip on Byakuya loosed, stepping back as he re arranged his scarf.

"I trusted you to do the right thing Kurosaki" Byakuya answered in a hush tone "I knew that you'd do right by her side. Also, if you decided not to come back, I knew that she would be fine with you; it doesn't matter about me, just as long as she's safe. If she came back and you didn't, she'd have escaped to the real world to be by your side" Ichigo was speechless at his answer. He was unable to find a comeback because he knew that Byakuya was right; things really were better off this way. He broke out of his own thoughts to see Byakuya deep in his own, looking out of the window. Ichigo looked outside to see beautiful garden scenery, although not as beautiful as Byakuya's cherry blossom field. He smiled as he thought back to the scenery, and then somehow thought back to Rukia. He started to wonder how much Byakuya knew about him and Rukia, if he knew that they were going out or not...

"You start your captain duties tomorrow" Byakuya interrupted, still looking out of the window "I've already guessed who you'd like as your vice captain, so I told the tea servant to send her a message telling her to wait outside; she should be here by now" Ichigo nodded; even though Byakuya didn't mention a name, Ichigo knew who he was talking about.

"She knows the daily routines of a squad, so she'll help you get adjusted to a captain's lifestyle." Byakuya turned to face Ichigo, meeting his stare.

"Welcome to the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. Ninth Division Captain Kurosaki Ichigo, you are dismissed." Byakuya commanded, waving his arm as a signal for Ichigo to leave. Ichigo nodded, turned and started for the door. As soon as he turned the door handle, he stopped as Byakuya spoke again, feeling his stare burn into his head.

"If I find out that you have hurt her... You will deal with severe consequences" A chill ran through Ichigo's spine as he nodded furiously and bolted out of the room. As the door close, Byakuya grunted and smirked as he looked out of the window, losing himself in thoughts of Hisana.

"_She'll be safe with him; I'll make sure of it_"

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I've always thought that Byakuya would approve of Ichigo's and Rukia's relationship, but he'd still be the "Tough brother" kind of guy; always looking out for Rukia and giving Ichigo a hard time if he did anything wrong xD


	7. Settling In

**Sorry for the late chapter guys, procrastination is just so damn addictive... And so is my new bb! Anyways, enjoy!**

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Ichigo walked as fast as he could out of the building after Byakuya's death threat; but he knew that deep down Byakuya was just looking after Rukia. Although, he didn't have to tell him twice; he'd die for Rukia! Coming to a stop at the main entrance, he gripped the handle and swung it open with ease to his surprise; the door looked as though it weighed _a ton._ A smile took over his confused expression when he saw Rukia smiling back at him. As he closed the door and turned to face her, she stood at attention and did a mock salute.

"Captain Kurosaki sir!" She greeted sarcastically, trying her best to contain her laughter. Ichigo rolled his eyes and patted Rukia on the head.

"Good doggie" He smiled slyly, dodging Rukia's kick and laughing as he ran from the raging Kuchiki. When Rukia had finally caught up with Ichigo and gave him the thrashing he deserved, she sat on top of his beaten body triumphantly.

"Looks as though the 'doggie' has switched roles with its master, eh strawberry?" She grinned, rubbing her knuckle into his head. After beating his hand into the ground in submission and crying for mercy for almost ten minutes, Ichigo was finally released as Rukia stood and dusted herself off. As he started rubbing his head and back and got ready to complain, Rukia cleared her throat; she never gave Ichigo a chance to come back by acting serious after fooling around. Ichigo sighed and turned to face her, checking out their surroundings.

"So... Where are we?" Ichigo puzzled, his blank gaze supporting the fact that he had absolutely no idea where he was. Rukia sighed and crossed her arms, holding herself back from beating him again.

"We're near the eighth barracks, our ninth barracks are over there" Rukia stated, pointing to a building in the distance. Ichigo chuckled sheepishly as he walked forward.

"Look what you've done now, we'd have been there if you didn't need your _play time_" Ichigo jabbed before sprinting toward the ninth barracks, feebly trying to outrun the aggravated Rukia. Ichigo skidded to a halt as he reached the entrance to the ninth division, gasping for air. He furrowed his brow as he looked behind him; he couldn't see Rukia anywhere. He shrugged his shoulder, blaming her for losing the race, but as soon as he started to open the door his face met the ground as Rukia tackled him to the floor; for a small person, she was strong when she was angry! Ichigo nearly screamed for his life as Rukia rubbed her knuckle into his scalp without mercy, laughing manically.

"Hello Captain, Vice Captain" A voice interrupted from the barracks, making Rukia hold on her merciless revenge. She blushed and jumped up, standing to attention as she noticed who interrupted her revenge.

"Hisagi!" She exclaimed, easing as Hisagi chuckled.

"I'm not your superior anymore Rukia; in fact, you're my superior"

Ichigo stood up slowly, head dizzy from Rukia's painful rage. He smiled as he heard the familiar voice, reaching his hand out to greet Hisagi.

"Hisagi! How've you been?" Ichigo greeted, shaking his hand heartily.

"I've been fine, but I'm afraid we don't have time for idle banter, you should meet the rest of the squad" Hisagi bowed, which made Ichigo feel uneasy; he hated it when people were being formal with him. He was about to tell Hisagi this, but he had already retreated into the barracks, gesturing the pair for them to follow. Ichigo observed the hall as they walked, also seeing Rukia doing the same. Ichigo thought all barracks would look the same, but from Rukia's curiosity he could tell it was otherwise. Hisagi stopped to turn outside of a wide door, nodding at the pair before entering. The pair nodded at each other before walking in, a sweat rolling down the sides of their heads as they saw hundreds of faces staring at them. They stood in the front of the room next to Hiashi, who cleared his throat and called everyone to attention, silencing the whispering.

"Attention everyone! From now on, Kurosaki Ichigo is the new captain of ninth division, and Rukia is the vice captain!" The whispering started again as he announced their new captain, but subsided when Hisagi glared at them.

"I expect you to show them the same respect you would any other high ranking officer. I'll be helping the Captain with the duties, so just because he's new to this doesn't mean you can slack off!" Hisagi yelled, making some people sigh and moan. As the squad started talking, Hisagi turned and walked to Ichigo, whispering in his ear.

"I think you should do a speech; it'll improve the men's impressions of you" Ichigo's eyes widened, temptation to argue against the idea rising, but from Hisagi's look it didn't look like he was giving him a choice. He sighed, scratching his head as he tried to think of a beginning to a speech. He was tempted to just bolt out of the room, but he calmed down when he felt a hand brush against his faintly. He turned to see Rukia smiling at him, calming him down even more. She didn't have to speak to say what she wanted to; her eyes told him that he could do this. He smiled back and nodded, mouthing a thank you before turning and calling out to get everyone's attention.

"Uhh... Attention!" Ichigo called, grunting as he noticed he failed to get any attention whatsoever. After a few more failed attempts, his patience finally snapped and his face went red.

"HEY GUYS, LISTEN TO ME" The sudden outburst succeeded in getting everyone's attention, even if they did look at him with caution in their expression. Basking in the golden silence, Ichigo grinned and folded his arms, observing everyone's faces.

"I don't really like to use the 'autocratic' approach, but if you push me, I will use it! Now, we can either; get along and show each other respect... Or everyone will be doing double the duties they're doing now for the next year!" Ichigo laughed mentally as everyone gulped and stood to attention, yelling "yes captain!"

"_This power feels good, I'll have to do this more often_" Ichigo thought to himself as he laughed evilly in his mind, dismissing the squad to attend to their duties. When the last of the squad left, Ichigo turned to face a beaming Rukia and a grinning Hisagi.

"Looks like you won't need much help from me!" Hisagi admitted, crossing his arms and smiling proudly at his new captain.

"If you ask me, I think he was enjoying the power a _little_ bit too much" Rukia interjected, laughing at Ichigo's reaction. Ichigo stepped back, convinced that Rukia could read his mind. He decided to think a thought to see if Rukia could really read his mind.

"_The things I would do to you if we were alone..._" Ichigo thought, grinning inwardly. He snapped out of his daze when he noticed Hisagi walk out of the room. He automatically started to follow, but froze when he saw the death glare Rukia was giving him.

"_Can she really read my mind?_" Ichigo thought as a chill ran down his spine and he ran out of the room before Rukia could say anything to him.

Hisagi gave the pair a brief tour of the ninth squad barracks, briefing them on the roles and routines of each place. Ichigo wasn't really concentrating on the tour, only nodding when Hisagi would turn to him or pretending to be interested whenever he pointed at anything. Rukia, on the other hand, was prepared for Ichigo's absent mindedness; she produced a note pad and pen from nowhere, jotting down useful information. Hisagi ended the tour outside of the captain's and vice captain's quarters, turning to Ichigo and bowing.

"I'm sorry that the tour had to be so brief, but I must leave to attend to my duties" he apologised, bowing once again "You should get an early night, we start early tomorrow morning" Ichigo sighed at the formality, crossing his arms and smiling at Hisagi reassuringly.

"The tour was great! But Hisagi, from now on, ditch the formalities, and just call me Ichigo!" he laughed uneasily, scratching his head. Hisagi looked surprised at his request, but then smiled and nodded.

"It's good to have you back, Ichigo" Hisagi added as he turned and waved goodbye.

"_It's good to be back_" thought Ichigo, waving Hisagi farewell. When Hisagi was out of sight, Ichigo turned to his vice captain, who was still writing down notes. Ichigo frowned and tried to look at what she was writing, but she shielded the note pad and narrowed her eyes at him, daring him to take it from her.

"H-Hey! Let me see!" Ichigo shouted as he fought Rukia for possession of the notepad. Finally managing to grab the notepad after tickling her, Ichigo ran into their living quarters, ran into the bedroom and locked the door. Breathing heavily and laughing evilly from Rukia's feeble pleas for the return of the notepad, Ichigo turned his attention to the notepad.

"_What was in there that she didn't want me to see?_" Ichigo thought to himself, flicking it open. His jaw dropped as his eyes scanned the pages and pages of drawings of rabbits. Ichigo buried his head in the book, dumbstruck at the contents.

"Drawings? I thought you were taking notes!" Ichigo shouted, silencing Rukia for a moment before she answered back.

"Notes? I wasn't really listening..." Rukia mumbled. Ichigo sighed audibly, unlocking the door and throwing the book back at Rukia, but froze as it hit her in the face. Ichigo remained still as Rukia slowly peeled the book off of her face, eye twitching with rage. As soon as he slowly took a step back, Rukia threw the book at him and tackled him onto the floor, rubbing her knuckle into the same spot as earlier and kicking him at the same time.

"A-Ah! I-I'm sorry Rukia! I didn't mean to throw it at your face!" Ichigo protested, trying to escape from her grip on him. Rukia ignored his pleas and continued beating him, stopping when she was satisfied he learned his lesson. She remained sitting on top of him as she sighed contently, pleased with her work; Ichigo could swear that his head was on fire, rubbing it didn't help at all. As he started to partially recover, he looked at the beaming Rukia, quietly plotting his revenge. When the pain in his head finally started to subside, he grabbed Rukia's arm and pulled her down, onto the floor, sitting on top of her and holding both her arms in place with one hand. Rukia cried at the sudden retaliation, looking wide eyed at a determined Ichigo, worried that she may have over done it this time...

"I-Ichigo?" She exclaimed, hoping that she hadn't pushed him over the edge. She was about to call to him again, but froze when she saw Ichigo raise his hand. She flinched instinctively, thoughts rushing through her mind.

"_Is he going to hit me?" _

"_He's going to kill me and replace me..."_

"_He's going to-"_ Her thoughts were interrupted as Ichigo brought his hand down under her arms, faintly running over her ticklish spots.

"_A fate worse than death!" _Rukia thought as she screamed, pleading Ichigo to stop tickling her. But he had no intention of stopping, he was going to tickle her until she couldn't breathe, and then he would wait for her to catch her breath and tickle her again! Tears formed in her eyes from laughing so much, and when Ichigo finally stopped tickling her she tried to regain her breath and open her eyes.

"That's enou-" Rukia started, but was interrupted as Ichigo pressed his lips against hers. Eyes widening at first, she slowly closed them as she eased into the kiss, freeing her arms from his weakening grip to wrap them around his shoulders, bringing him closer into the kiss.

"_I'd rather this than being tickled any day" _

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**I can see this being a fighting relationship xD But they love each other really, so it all works out :3**


	8. Pay

**Sorry for the insanely late chapter, had to reboot my pc and then put everything back on it... Several times. *Not impressed face* Anyway, enjoy chapter 8 of To Start Again!**

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Ichigo jolted awake as someone knocked on the door loudly. He lay still, hoping that the person knocking the door would leave if he didn't make a sound, but they were persistent and continued to knock on his door. He sighed disappointedly and yawned as he started to sit up, but stopped when he felt something weighing down his left side. He looked down to see a peaceful Rukia, who would have been the cutest picture if not for a little bit of drool coming out of the corner of her mouth and landing on a dark patch on Ichigo's shoulder. Ichigo furrowed his brow, finding that on closer examination, it was a bruise, and his shoulder was covered in them. His eyes widened, trying to remember if he had been in a fight or not, but then slyly smiled as he remembered the cause of his bruises – Rukia had a fetish for biting his neck, which she did so plentifully last night. Wiping the drool from his shoulder and Rukia's mouth, and then slowly moving her off of him, he even more slowly tried to sit up – their wrestling last night made him sore; he might have been fighting jokingly but it seemed as though she was being serious. More banging on the door made him quicken his pace as he finally stood up off of the mattress.

"Just a second" He called, hurriedly pulling on his soul reaper uniform. Ichigo smiled as he tied his hakama-himo; since the pair didn't have any nightwear yet, he got to see Rukia in her bra and panties, he could barely hold himself back, but he knew he had to, he didn't want to rush things. As he was about to open the door, he remembered the Kuchiki lying in his bed; she'd have his head if he let company see her like that. He sighed and mentally noted to keep the visitor away from the bedroom and opened the door to see an irritated Hisagi with a fist in mid air, ready to knock the door again. He withdrew his fist and cleared his throat, trying to hide his irritation and show a more stoic expression.

"Cap- Ichigo, it is time to start your first day, I hope you're ready..." Hisagi started, but trailed off as he saw Ichigo's neck. "Have you been in a fight?" he exclaimed, pointing at Ichigo's shoulder and neck. Ichigo furrowed his brow and looked down at his shoulder, then covered it instantly with his uniform as he realised he was pointing at Rukia's bruises and bite marks.

"O-Of course not!" Ichigo grinned, stepping out the door but then stopping as he saw Hisagi's confused expression.

"What's wrong Hisagi?" Ichigo asked, desperately hoping that the soul reaper dismissed the bruises.

"Is Rukia not coming? Is she ill?" Hisagi quizzed, raising an eyebrow as he looked at Ichigo suspiciously. Ichigo gulped, looking away, unable to hold Hisagi's stare as he rubbed his nose.

"U-Uh yeah! I'll just get her now!" Ichigo laughed sheepishly "Two seconds!" Before Hisagi could say another word, Ichigo ran inside the apartment. He crossed his arms and listened tentatively to the hushed arguing and clanging of objects. He sighed and tapped his foot, shaking his head.

"_They're so unorganised, but it's their first day, I guess I should let them off the hook... Wait... Aren't they staying in separate dorms?" _ Hisagi thought to himself, leaning slowly as he peeped into the dorm. He backed away as a frying pan flew past, inches away from his face.

"YOU IDIOT! WHY DIDN'T YOU WAKE ME UP?" Rukia shouted. Eyes widening slightly, Hisagi stepped back from the doorway, clearly intending to stay out of this fight. The shouting from then became more hushed, so Hisagi had to strain to attempt to listen, all the while checking for any other flying objects that may hit him as he sneaked toward the door. When he finally reached the door the arguing had seemed to have been replaced with an eerie silence. Gulping, Hisagi slowly looked around the door, but practically jumped out of his skin when a cheery Rukia came out of nowhere.

"Good morning Hisagi!... Are you alright?" Rukia asked Hisagi, who was now on all fours, panting as if trying to catch his breath. He looked up at Rukia with a worn out expression, confused about her cheery demeanour.

"I-I'm f-f-fine... Thank you" Hisagi panted as he stood, dusting off his uniform. As he looked up, Rukia had been joined by a sore Ichigo, who was rubbing his head furiously and muttering something incoherently.

"_What were these two doing?" _Hisagi thought to himself, looking from Ichigo to Rukia. _"I'll be careful not to get on her bad side..." _

"What are the duties for today then Hisagi?" Rukia asked, breaking him from his trail of thought.

"Ah yes" Hisagi started "Here, these are the schedules for our division" He gave the two a diary style book, filled with important dates and standard routines. Rukia admired the organisation of the information; this must have taken Hisagi a long time to put together. Just as she was about to thank him for the diaries, he had already continued.

"They contain anything you need to know about the schedule. However, today Ichigo needs to get his Haori fitted and the both of you need a wardrobe since I'm guessing you both didn't bring any with you..." The pair shook their heads absently, causing Hisagi to sigh mentally.

"_God help me" _

"I'll also be informing you of the basics and give you a little introductions of procedures" Hisagi added, gesturing for the two to follow him as he started down the street.

After being measured and fitted, Ichigo was given a Haori to wear. He had opted for a sleeveless Haori, and choosing the tighter fit made it feel extra comfortable. He walked out of the changing rooms, striking a heroic pose at the lingering Rukia. She smiled as she saw his haori, standing proudly and crossing her arms.

"So I see you decided to copy my brother? I don't blame you, he looks amazing in it" Rukia approved, awe-struck at her thoughts of her graceful brother.

"No I did not choose this because of Byakuya! I chose it because it looks cool! Besides, mines much slimmer fitting than his!" Ichigo argued, gritting his teeth. Rukia raised an eyebrow as she watched Ichigo rant; she didn't expect that much of a reaction out of him. She walked toward him and smiled as she stroked his haori, an occupied look on her face.

"I never thought I'd ever see you wear one of these..." She mumbled, distantly looking at his haori. She was broken out of her contemplation when Ichigo brought her close to him, bringing her into his chest. He smiled as she wrapped her arms around him and he did the same. The two jumped when they heard someone clear their throat from the other side of the room; Hisagi stood with his hand to his mouth, a small, triumphant smile lay on his lips.

"Sorry to break up the 'heart warming moment' but we have a lot to get through today" He interrupted, turning to leave the room. Ichigo sighed discontentedly as he was pulled out of the room by Rukia. They visited the Captain's quarters next, where Hisagi gave Ichigo a quick run-through of his duties; Ichigo flinched as he saw a pile of paperwork on his desk with his name written all over it. Hisagi told him not to worry too much about it; the paperwork may be numerous, but it was easy. After running through the duties, Hisagi paused and invited the pair to ask questions. When the two looked at him absently, he sighed and started to walk out of the room, but stopped as he remembered something.

"As yes" Hisagi started, catching Ichigo and Rukia's attention "Before I forget, here." He handed them both thick envelopes. Ichigo wore a confused expression as Rukia's face lit up; she already seemed to know what it was, so she tucked it inside her uniform. Deciding to open his now, Ichigo's eyes widened as the sight of green notes caught his attention.

"It's your pay one month in advance; well, you'll still get paid in a month, so think of it as more of an introductory bonus" Hisagi smiled, noticing Ichigo's eyes light up.

"Well I don't know about you two but I'm starved. Its noon now so meet back here in an hour so I can finish off the introduction." Hisagi offered. After receiving nods of approval, he quickly left the two to their own devices. As Hisagi left, Rukia turned to face a dribbling Ichigo, too preoccupied by his new found fortune to notice Rukia walk closer and closer to him. He was finally brought out of his daze when Rukia leaned up and pressed her lips against his and brushed her tongue against his lips. He opened his mouth and met her tongue with his, wrestling for dominance, feeling disappointed as the fight was ended early and Rukia withdrew from the kiss with an evil grin. Ichigo furrowed his brow, about to ask what she was acting so weird about, when he saw the object she was holding in her hand.

"Now... Let's see how much lunch is going to be..." Rukia mumbled, flicking through the green notes and laughing as she pulled them away out of his reach.

"Rukia! Give me my money! I'll get us lunch!" Ichigo pleaded, practically on all fours now and begging like a dog.

"Such manners!" Rukia chuckled evilly, relishing in the power she had over Ichigo right now. She then threw the money back at Ichigo, who instantly picked it up and started counting through the money again. Satisfied that all his money was present, Ichigo stood back up and gave Rukia an untrustworthy look, making her cringe a little.

"_Looks like I shouldn't mess him about when money's involved..." _Rukia thought to herself. She slowly embraced the wary captain who was now holding his money up in the air out of her reach. Rukia mentally sighed, and then looked him in the eyes with an innocent puppy dog look.

"I'm sorry Ichigo; I won't do it again..." Rukia apologised, drawing circles on his chest with her finger. Ichigo grunted, slowly lowering his pay packet, eventually placing it in one of his pockets. Somehow, the look Rukia was giving him made him feel guilty, even though she was the one that wronged him. He would've argued if he could, but the look she was giving him made him feel utterly powerless. He smiled at her warmly, returning the embrace and kissing her head.

"It's okay, I for-" Ichigo started, but was interrupted by a loud growl from his stomach. Rukia's puppy dog stare turned to an irritated one, making Ichigo laugh sheepishly and scratch his nose.

"Umm... I- Uhh..." Ichigo mumbled, but stopped as Rukia started laughing, pulling herself from the embrace.

"Come on, let's get food" Rukia started, but stopped as she got to the door. She turned to face Ichigo, giving him the same evil grin as earlier, and Ichigo could swear he could hear an evil theme tune start to play.

"I know a _really_ expensive restaurant that does good food" Rukia chuckled, making a chill run down Ichigo's spine as she exited the room. Ichigo sighed as he felt the hefty pay packet in his pocket, regretting promising to buy both their lunch.

"_She had better make it up to me!_"


	9. Hiatus

**Hey guys, sorry for the lack of updates on this story, but I have a maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaajor writers block! That and exams are coming up, so I need to spend time... 'revising' (a.k.a procrastinating) for them. But anyway if you could mail/review ideas of where you want the story to go that'd be great! Otherwise you'll just have to wait until I can brainstorm some ideas! Sorry to be a burden on you all Hopefully I can update soon! Love you all! Aza ~**


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